Instructor enthusiasm is essential and a critical factor in the motivation and retention of students.
As an instructor, sustaining that level of enthusiasm in the classroom year over year can be a challenge. I will admit, there have been times when I have found myself simply going through the motions of teaching simply to teach…which is generally the first sign that something needs to change. When I find myself at this point, I try to find different ways to revise or enhance the way in which I am presenting materials to students. Having the opportunity to develop new and different presentation techniques sparks my enthusiasm, which in turn I have found helps raise the enthusiasm of my students. If an instructor can create an environment in which students believe that they can succeed, then the students are more likely to persist as well.
Kareme,
Like your excitement about teaching. You are so right about the need for instructors to bring passion and enthusiasm to the class each time it meets. Your student let you know she valued something that she knew would be boring and yet it wasn't as a result of your effort. Keep up the good work of impacting the lives and learning of your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is a large part of the success of the class, I find that students in preceding classes are excited to be coming to my class just from speaking to other students that have taken my class, I try to keep it light and interject a bit of fun to every class as I have found if you aren't enjoying it you wont want to learn it
Christopher,
If students see your passion for your field and your enthusiasm for teaching it then they are going to become engaged at a much higher rate. Excitement is catching so we need to spread it around.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In my years being around the adult learning community I can attest that instructor enthusiasm does have a direct reflection on student retention. Often times I can tell from the way a student acts or presents themselves who they currently have for an instructor. Instructor enthusism is infectious when it comes to how much a student is enjoying their overall school experience. If students are excited about not only what they are learning but who they are learning it from they have a much deeper sence of belonging and therefore will continue to be a student and ultimately be retained.
Scott,
Passion for one's field and enthusiasm for teaching about it goes a long way in generating student excitement. We need to bring both to our classes each time they meet.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think that being enthusiastic as an instructor is contagious for the students. I especially like to relate stories from my time working in the field to show the importance of the material we are working on. The students then will often perk up and listen more intently or share stories of their own on the topic.
Heather,
Passion about your field and enthusiasm for teaching it helps to generate student excitement just as you mention. It is for sure that if you are not excited about being in the class the students won't be either. We need to bring our A game to class each time it meets.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
While I agree we don't want to become entertainers above educators, I believe that if you are enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable about the material you are presenting then it just IS entertaining, at least to the student who wants to learn.
Ralph,
This is a good point in terms of what we need to bring to the classroom. If we bring passion for our field and enthusiasm for teaching about it our students are going to see that there is a reason for them to be excited about what they are studying. Excitement does spread so we need to bring it each time our classes meet.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The students will reflect how the instructor acts in class.If the instructor shows he does not care about the class or the students then the students will not want to be in class.
If instructors are enthusiastic about there subject it will create a classroom not only conducive to learning but fun and engaging. If an instructor is "just doing his job" that will translate in class and given an opportunity with all the distractions students face outside of class it is much easier to choose those instead of class. As a new instructor myself I have noticed my students attendance has improved steadily since I began teaching. I thought it was coincidence but I now feel it is related to my confidence and therefor my enthusiasm. As it has increased so has my retention and attendance.
Teresa,
Congratulations for the impact you are having on the lives of your students. You are seeing the results of you bringing passion for your field and enthusiasm for teaching about it to the classroom. You are a model that your students can follow and they can put their confidence in you as their learning leader.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
One of the key elements to student retention is the enthusiasm of the instructor. If an instructor is not excited about the subject and does not guide the students to deeper levels of understanding of the material then these actions convey negative messaging to the students. This type of behavior presents to the students that the career they have chosen might not be worth the hard work and financial strain that they are currently under thus potentially causing the students to lose interest and withdraw from the University. Whereas, if an instructor is positive and excited about the material, the student will also become excited and want to gain a deeper understanding of the material in order to have greater success in their chosen career path.
Robert,
So true. Passion for one's field and enthusiasm for teaching about it generates student interest and excitement. We need to bring both each time we interact with students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think being an enthusiastic instructor really transfers to the students. If you are passionate about a subject then you can help to create a more interesting and exciting environment for the student.
Lorin,
I agree and this is why we need to bring our A game to class each time it meets. We need to be a role model for learning so our students will see the value of what we are teaching.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As an instructor, if you are enthusiastic and care about the material, there is a greater chance that your students will.
Angela,
Passion for your field and enthusiasm for teaching about it goes a long way in peaking the excitement of students. We need to bring both elements to class each time we meet with students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree 100%, to bring a fun atmosphere in the class we as instructors must also be entertainers. Also in being entertainers it brings a personal tone to the students that you are a person to.
